{"id":111,"date":"2013-11-14T10:17:42","date_gmt":"2013-11-14T10:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tumblingcoach.com\/blog\/?p=111"},"modified":"2026-02-10T22:48:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T22:48:56","slug":"weight-matter-in-tumbling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tumblingcoach.com\/blog\/weight-matter-in-tumbling\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Have To Be Skinny To Be A Good Tumbler?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”intro” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

I recently got a question from a reader that I think many athletes might suffer from — especially if they’re involved in acrobatic based sports such as gymnastics, cheerleading or dance.<\/p>\n

Let’s take a look<\/p>\n

(by the way, for obvious reasons, all personal details have been removed)<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cDear Coach Sahil,<\/em><\/p>\n

I found your facebook page (Addicted To Tumbling) and have been loving the videos and content so far! But I had a question for you that I wanted to ask without posting it as a public comment on facebook, since its something I\u2019m a little sensitive about. I\u2019ve been in cheerleading for about 2 years now and I\u2019ve become and excellent base, my jumps are pretty good, and I have decent flexibility but my tumbling is just going no where! I have a friend that joined around the same time and she\u2019s now doing round off back handsprings. I work just as hard and do what my coaches tell me but I just can\u2019t seem to shake off the fact that I\u2019m having a hard time because I\u2019m a bit heavier than most girls on my team. Does this really matter? I\u2019d love to hear your thoughts on this. I\u2019m afraid if I don\u2019t catch up, me and my friend won\u2019t be on the same team!<\/em><\/p>\n

Thanks for your time\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2013 Miss Frustrated<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"skinny

This is not an uncommon concern you\u2019re having \u2013 in fact I can pretty much guarantee that every cheerleader, gymnast or dancer has thought about her body and its capabilities at some point in her life.<\/p>\n

Before I say anything further, please note that I\u2019m no therapist or doctor. What I will say in the words that follow comes from sheer life experience and an opinion based on logic. As in, it makes sense to me and has made sense for others, but it may not for you. Please take it for what you will. I will do by best to be as helpful as I can.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s play a little game.\u00a0Imagine I look you dead in the eye and say: \u201cYou have the perfect body for tumbling. Seriously. You couldn\u2019t have wished for better genetics.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

How would you feel?<\/p>\n

Hopeful? Skeptical? Ready to call my bluff?<\/p>\n

Most athletes would smile politely while their brain whispers, \u201cOkay\u2026 but if I\u2019m so perfectly built for tumbling, why can\u2019t I tumble like her?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

And if that\u2019s you, congratulations \u2014 your brain is working exactly as designed. Humans compare, constantly. It\u2019s a survival mechanism, not some personality flaw.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the problem: What your brain does automatically isn\u2019t always what helps you progress.<\/p>\n

Because while you might want a round\u2011off back handspring \u2014 the same skill your friend has \u2014 your path to that skill will look different than the path your friend took.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s normal.<\/p>\n

So instead of asking: \u201cDo I need a body like hers?\u201d a far better question to ask would be:<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s actually holding me back from achieving my skills?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Let\u2019s start with a simple, science\u2011y fact:\u00a0For every 1 pound of body mass you carry, your knee experiences 2\u20134 pounds of pressure.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This means lighter athletes do have an initial advantage. They can throw their bodies around more easily, they feel less joint stress, and they\u2019re easier to spot.<\/p>\n

Physics is real, gravity is unforgiving and unfortunately, none of us get to opt out.<\/p>\n

But \u2014 and this is a big but \u2014 that advantage is only initial.<\/p>\n

Because after coaching hundreds of athletes of every shape and size (tall, short, lanky, stocky, \u201cbuilt like a noodle,\u201d \u201cbuilt like a tank,\u201d you name it), I\u2019ve seen them all learn to tumble successfully.<\/p>\n

So how is that possible?<\/p>\n

Because body type is only one variable, and it\u2019s not even the most important one. In fact, there are three<\/strong> performance factors that can completely override body size \u2014 and if you master these, you can tumble just as well (or better) than someone smaller.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s break them down\u2026<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”1. Power To Weight Ratio:” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”20px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

1. Power To Weight Ratio (a.k.a your “engine”)<\/h2>\n

Lighter athletes aren\u2019t magically more talented. They simply have enough strength relative<\/span> to their bodyweight to move efficiently.<\/p>\n

Think of it like cars: A normal sized engine stuffed inside a small car will feel fast. But a bigger car with a bigger engine plus a turbo bolted on, will feel even<\/em> faster.<\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re the \u201cbigger car,\u201d your job is simple: Build a bigger engine.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And here\u2019s the good news: You can increase strength without changing your weight at all.
Research shows that neuromuscular adaptations \u2014 how well your brain communicates with your muscles \u2014 can increase strength dramatically without adding mass.<\/p>\n

How to train it:<\/strong><\/p>\n